Sahara

McCoy Tyner's first release for the Milestone label, 'Sahara', is a pivotal work of 1970s spiritual jazz that explores African and Eastern sonic palettes. The album is distinguished by its expansive instrumentation, with Tyner augmenting his famously percussive piano with koto, flute, and percussion, a practice adopted by the entire quartet including saxophonist Sonny Fortune, bassist Calvin Hill, and drummer Alphonse Mouzon. This ambitious approach culminates in the side-long title track, a multi-movement suite that cemented the album as both a commercial and critical breakthrough for Tyner.